


Anchors

by writesometimes



Series: Strange Desire [3]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Angst, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Pirate Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 06:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7673650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writesometimes/pseuds/writesometimes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It seemed that James McGraw still lived somewhere within him, despite his best efforts, and he was being drawn to Silver. The man was a siren, Flint his captivated sailor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anchors

**Author's Note:**

> Set after 3x10
> 
> Part 3 of my "Strange Desire" series, so this will probably make more sense if you read the first two parts

Night fell quickly on the Maroon settlement. A large dinner had been prepared by a team of Maroon people and crew from the _Walrus_. The community was still dining as a whole while reconstruction was going on, to ensure everyone was well-fed after a long day of hard labor. Flint gathered two plates of food quietly, hoping to avoid getting caught up in conversation with anyone at the moment. He could feel eyes watching but his posture seemed to be keeping people away. He had nearly made it out of the makeshift mess hall in the middle of the settlement when an eloquent voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Captain Flint," Madi said gently, "How is Mr. Silver's recovery going?"

Flint clenched his jaw. He certainly didn't want to be rude to the Maroon Princess, but he'd left Silver waiting back on the beach for dinner. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face Madi.  
"He's doing just fine. I was actually on my way back to him with dinner," Flint lifted the plates in hopes of being excused.

Madi nodded slowly. "I'm glad he is recovering well. He's been incredibly helpful to my people and I know _you_ must be relieved he's doing better."

Flint's face momentarily flushed and scrunched up in confusion.

"I can see he is very... _important_...to you. And your crew," Madi said behind a delicate smile.

"Yes," Flint grit out. "Uhm, well, I should get back to him. I'm sure he's hungry."

Madi nodded knowingly. Feeling as though he'd been politely dismissed, Flint turned once more to return to the beach.

****

The scene that greeted Flint on the beach made him pause a moment. He'd lit a small fire just outside the hut on the beach, beneath the stars, and dragged two stools out for himself and Silver. He'd hoped to give Silver a moment outside the hut. Some fresh air and a good meal would do him good.

Now he stood almost panicking. What was he doing? The setting seemed so peaceful, so _domestic_. Hell, just a few hours ago he'd kissed Silver tenderly. It seemed that James McGraw still lived somewhere within him, despite his best efforts, and he was being drawn to Silver. The man was a siren, Flint his captivated sailor. His rumbling stomach broke his mental web of concern and he trudged farther down the beach to the small fire.

He set the plates of food onto one of the stools and made his way to the hut. When Flint walked through the entrance he drew a slow, steadying breath through his nose. Silver was sprawled out on the bed, shirt entirely open, looking over the _Walrus'_ manifest. His dewy skin glistened in the dancing lantern light.

"I thought you'd forgotten about me," Silver joked, still perusing the manifest.

"Dinner is out by the fire," Flint spit out quickly.

Silver shut the manifest and turned to look at Flint. He beamed at his Captain, blue eyes shining unbelievably in the dim lantern light. "Just let me get the boot on and I'll be out to join you." He sat up and reached for the iron prosthetic.

"I thought you were supposed to wear that as little as possible for the time being," Flint half asked, half reminded.

"Yes, well, until I learn to fly it's the only way I can get around," Silver retorted cheekily. He swung his legs off the bed and bent to put the boot on.

"I can help you. Out to the beach that is. So you don't have to wear it," Flint offered in a rush.

Silver froze. Flint looked down at his feet, trying to hide his ever-reddening face. "If you want, that is," the captain mumbled.

Silver raised his eyebrows and set the boot down on the ground. "Thank you, Captain, it would be much appreciated," he whispered carefully.

Flint walked over slowly and stooped over at Silver's side. He placed an arm tightly around his quartermaster's waist, slung one of the man's arms around his neck, and helped him into a standing position. Silver took a deep breath. Flint suddenly forgot _how_ to breathe. The pair glanced quickly at one another. This time it was Silver who looked away, trying to hide the blush spreading over his cheeks. This close it was difficult for either man to forget the whisper of a kiss they had shared only hours ago.

"I'm starving," Silver laughed, trying to ease the tension.

They would progress onto the beach then. Captain and quartermaster dining together. James and John sharing more of their souls by a fire under the stars. Flint wondered which one people would perceive it as. Which one he wanted more.

****

At first, trying to help Silver walk seemed a daunting task, but by the time they exited the hut they seemed to have found their rhythm.

"Almost there," Flint coaxed as he tightened his grip about Silver's waist. His fingertips brushed his quartermaster's exposed skin just above his hip where his still undone shirt had ridden up. Flint mentally reprimanded himself for wanting to brush his fingers along the delicate patch of flesh, see where it would lead his hand.

"Thank you for this," Silver said suddenly, "I haven't eaten outside that hut or had dining company since I took that fall."

Flint nodded deliberately and cleared his throat. "I will confess I've missed you bending my ear while I try to digest a meal," he said airily.

Silver chuckled, his eyes dancing in the light of the fire they were fast approaching.

At last the pair reached the small fire and Flint eased Silver down onto one of the stools. He turned quickly and fetched a plate off the other stool and offered it to Silver. The quartermaster took it carefully and thanked his Captain quietly. Flint simply grunted and turned back to grab his own plate and take his seat.

"At least it smells good," Silver pondered aloud.

A sly smile spread over Flint's face. "Almost anything smells better that _whatever_ it was you used to manage to cook up. Remember the pig fiasco?"

Silver laughed heartily as he dug into his meal. "In my defense, I wasn't a cook then."

"You barely ever became one!" Flint retorted playfully. "I think quartermaster is a much more fitting title for you anyhow," he added softly.

Silver looked up from his dinner trying to gauge just what emotional head-space Flint was in at the moment. He sat silently off to Silver's right, easy smile on his lips, the fire casting pleasant shadows on his face. He looked peaceful, almost relaxed.

"I do think we make a pretty good pair. I may be a little biased though," Silver offered up happily.

Flint closed his eyes slowly, absorbing Silver's words. He set his empty plate down in the sand beside him. The situation once again seemed to scream it's intimacy at Flint. Here he sat beneath the stars, sharing a meal with another man, flirting with him even. He felt like he was supposed to be consumed by crushing guilt and unbearable sadness, but there was something about Silver. He was able to break through Flint's walls and understand him in ways no one had in quite a while. He _needed_ Silver in his life, as an anchor, so he could be Captain Flint to the world but never truly lose James McGraw.

"What are you devising over there, Captain?" Silver asked through a dazzling smile.

Flint blinked rapidly, realizing he'd been sitting silent for some time, lost in his own thoughts. He took a deep breath and turned to face Silver. "I was just thinking about how far we've come since we met." Flint clasped his hands together in his lap.

Silver placed his empty dinner plate in the sand beneath him and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "I know being the villain drains you, but that you see it as a necessary evil. You _have_ to be Flint, especially now, if you want to accomplish all you've set in motion. But know that with me you can let the villain slip away," he whispered as he stared into the fire.

Flint stared at his quartermaster. They sat in companionable silence beneath the stars for a moment before Flint spoke again. "I suppose we _are_ far past lying about who we are to one another now. We know each other better than perhaps anyone else can."

Silver sighed contentedly then raised a hand to stifle a yawn.

"Would you like to return to the hut to rest?" Flint questioned softly.

"Probably for the best," Silver replied yawning in earnest now.

Flint got the fire snuffed out and helped Silver stand up by the gentle glow of the moon. They clung to one another tightly, exhaustion finally catching up with both. Silver lost his footing and stumbled a bit, Flint scrambled to right him. They stopped walking for a moment and stood facing one another. Flint reached up and carefully tucked a stray curl behind Silver's ear. Silver held his breath, playful tongue suddenly made of lead due to the raw tenderness of the moment. Flint smiled lazily and began leading Silver back to the hut once more.

****

Once back inside, Flint gingerly settled Silver onto the bed. Silver sunk easily into the soft blankets and scooted to the opposite edge of the bed. Flint hovered a moment, but eventually turned to leave, to retreat back to the _Walrus_. Silver made a quiet groaning sound as he threw the blankets back.

"You don't have to scurry back to the ship anymore. You don't have to wear the mask of the villain with me, remember? You can relax here," Silver held his breath awaiting any response from Flint.

After what seemed like an eon, Flint finally shrugged and turned back to climb into the bed beside Silver. He settled in slowly, precisely, as though moving too quickly would shatter the fragile moment.

Silver laid a gentle hand on Flint's shoulder. "Relax. I'm not trying to jump your bones. There'll be plenty of time for that later. Tonight just rest. Shed Flint and let yourself _rest_."

Flint rolled over to face Silver, trying and failing miserably to hide a heady grin. "If you say so," he murmured happily.

Silver leaned forward and placed tentative kiss to Flint's forehead. A small moan escaped Flint's throat and he felt his entire body relax. Silver let his eyes flutter closed, at peace with his current place in life. Flint soon followed suit, and before long the Captain and his quartermaster fell asleep together, wrapped up in each other in the balmy hut.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope everyone likes the pirate angst, cause it's consuming my entire life.
> 
> I'm on [tumblr](http://imwritesometimes.tumblr.com/)


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